Device for observing infant in rear seat

ABSTRACT

A non-glass reflective surface is mounted near the top of the rear seat of a motor vehicle in such a way that the driver of the vehicle, by looking in the rear view mirror, can observe an infant in a safety seat wherein the infant is positioned facing the rear of the vehicle. This mirror is attached to the rear seat my means of a large safety pin and is further secured by means of strips of Velcro.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to device for observing an infant in a rearwardlyfacing safety seat located in the rear seat of a vehicle.

The "Child Passenger Protection Act" which became law in 1983, requiresthat an infant travelling in a vehicle be secured in a safety seat thatis itself fastened to the center of the rear seat of the vehicle bymeans of seat belts. It has become common practice, as a result of therecommendations of child safety advocates, to position the car safetyseat such that the infant faces the rear of the vehicle.

These car safety seats are often constructed with side panels that canobstruct any view of the infant when the infant is in the car seat.

This presents problems, however, when the driver or passenger in thefront seat of the vehicle, wishes or needs to check on the condition ofthe infant in the car seat. The driver must either stop the vehicle andperhaps even get out of the vehicle. The passenger must turn her/hisbody and lean back over the front seat. In either case, the situation isdangerous or inconvenient.

If the infant is crying or otherwise giving indications of distress, thedriver, if alone, is put in the position of having to stop the car inorder to check on the infant. This can be inconvenient at best, anddangerous at worst is there is no safe roadside location to which thedriver may safely drive the vehicle.

If the infant is quiet, it is important that the driver be able tomonitor it to ensure that nothing untoward has happened to the infant.

Several earlier patents disclose various approaches to solving thisproblem. U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,572 issued Oct. 27, 1987 to Cosseydiscloses a rigid frame which fits over the top of the rear seat towhich a mirror is attached by a rigid vertical telescoping sleeve. Therigid construction of this device presents a potential danger to theinfant in the event of an accident or rapid deceleration of the vehicle.

In U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,892 issued Dec. 15, 1987 to Masucci a mirror forobserving a rearwardly facing child in the rear seat of a vehicle ismounted on the rear seat back and is positioned at approximately thesame height as the infant's head. Since positioning the infant facingthe rear seat is intended to protect the infant in the event of anaccident by insuring that the infant will be projected toward the softseat back, the location of this mirror can present a danger in that, inthe event of an accident, the infant would be projected into it ratherthan the soft seat back. It is possible that the infant could kick thismirror with its feet dislodging it and making it useless. If theinfant's feet are bare, and the mirror is hot as a result of being inthe sunlight, the infant could burn its feet. It is possible that theinfant could shatter this mirror possibly causing injury to the infant.The large reflective surface of this mirror could also present a problemof glare into the infant's eyes and also glare into the driver's eyeswhen using it to check on the infant. The mirror in this patent alsorequires a car seat to hold it in place.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,956 issued Mar. 29, 1988 to Erickson discloses adome-shaped mirror that is mounted by means of suction cups to the roofor at the top of the rear window of the vehicle. In a station wagon orvan, the distance between this location and the driver's rear-viewmirror is too great to permit viewing of the infant and presents thepotential of danger to the infant if it the suction is insufficient tosecure the mirror in place. The mirror also vibrates because the mirroris not braced by anything but the suction cup.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,902,118 issued Feb. 20, 1990 to Harris discloses amirror that attaches to the rear seat of a vehicle by straps thatsurround the rear seat back. Positioning the mirror itself involvedadjusting the straps both vertically and horizontally. This can be acumbersome procedure.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,618 discloses a mirror that is positioned on therear shelf of an automobile in front of the third taillight. Because itis situated 51/2 inches above this rear shelf it has the potential forobstructing the driver's view. Because of it's attachment mechanism, itcannot be installed in station wagons or other vehicles with rear doors.It is requires a permanent installation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types ofdevices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides animproved device for observing an infant in an automobile rear seat. Assuch, the general purpose of the present invention, which will bedescribed subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new, improved,inexpensive, easy-to-install device by which the driver of a vehicle,without turning her head and losing eye contact with the road ahead, canobserve an infant in a rear-facing safety seat placed in the rear seatof the vehicle.

To attain this, the present invention provides a lightweight rectangulardevice incorporating a reflective surface on one side, which device isremovably attached to the rear seat back of a vehicle by an adjustablesingle strap made of a strong synthetic fabric secured to thenon-reflective surface of the device. The positioning of the reflectivesurface to allow viewing of the infant in the car safety seat by thedriver of the vehicle is accomplished by adjusting the length of thestrap.

It is, therefore, a further object of this invention to provide such adevice that is safe for the infant in the event of an accident or suddendeceleration.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a device thatdoes not require a permanent installation in the vehicle.

It is still another object of this invention to provide such a devicethat can be used effectively in a variety of vehicles includingautomobiles as well as vehicles that have a rear door such as stationwagons, and mini-vans.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with variousfeatures of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed outwith particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part ofthis disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, itsoperating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses,reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptivematter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of theinvention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the invention constructed inaccordance with the principles of the present invention and being shownin use in an automobile;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the invention shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the invention of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like elements are indicatedby like numerals, there is shown in FIG. 1 a vehicle rear seat 3. Therear seat 3 contains an infant car safety seat 7 attached to the vehicleby means of a seat belt 8. An infant 9 is placed in the infant car seat7 facing the back rest 4 of the rear seat 3. The device 10 of thepresent invention is a mirror having a reflecting surface on one 11 ofits planer sides and a non-reflecting surface on the obverse side 12,and adapted to being attached to the rear seat back rest 4. This permitsa driver (not shown) to observe the infant 9 by means of an imagereflected from the subject device 10 to the rear view mirror (not shown)of the vehicle (not shown).

Referring to FIG. 1, and more particularly to FIGS. 2 and 3, it may beseen that the mirror 10 of the present invention has a generallyrectangular, planar shape and is made out of a rigid, light weightmaterial, such as plastic, with a non-glass reflective coating on themirror reflecting surface side 11 Although rectangular in shape, theplanar corners 13 of the mirror 10 are rounded for safety. In thisembodiment of the invention, the mirror has a six inch wide horizontaldimension and four inch vertical dimension.

The mirror's non-reflective planar side 12 has a generally wedge-shapedholding element 20 having a V-shaped cross-section centrally attachedalong the mirror's horizontal axis near to the mirror's bottom edge 14.The holding element has two principle components 21, 22 meeting andjoining at a sharply acute angle. The holding element 20 in thisembodiment of the invention has a 1 3/4 inch width and is locatedapproximately 3/8 inches from the long bottom edge 14. The holding unit20 is also made out of a sturdy, light weight material, such as a rigidplastic material.

The two holding element principle components 21, 22 have uneven verticallengths. Each component 21, 22 also has two faces, one defined asinterior 23, 24, i.e., facing, and the other exterior 25, 26, i.e.,non-facing. The exterior face 25 of the vertically shorter 21 of the twocomponents is attached to the non-reflective side 12 of the mirror 10.The vertically longer 22 of the two components extends freely upwardaway from the mirror's non-reflective side 12. The unattached component22 has an approximate 11/8 inch horizontal slot 29 formed in theapproximate center of the unattached component 22. A hook and pilefastener 27, 28, commonly sold under the Velcro trademark, is used tofasten the holding element 20 to the rear seat back rest 4. A section 27of Velcro material is fixedly attached to the unattached componentexterior face 26. A corresponding adhesive backed section 28 of Velcromaterial is attached to the rear seat back rest 4.

A strap 30 made of a strong, synthetic material is inserted through theslot 29. One end 31 of the strap 30 is formed into a loop and attachedto the central bar of a conventional three-bar buckle 35. The otherstrap end 32 is threaded through the buckle 35 and extended verticallypast the buckle 35. Another hook and pile fastener 37, 38, commonly soldunder the Velcro trademark, is used to fasten the strap end 32 to therear seat back rest 4. A section 37 of Velcro material is fixedlyattached to the strap 30 near to the strap free end 32. A correspondingadhesive backed section 38 of Velcro material is attached to the rearseat back rest 4. The strap 30 and the entire mirror 10 are attached tothe rear seat back rest 4. The shape of the holding element 20 and itsattachment configuration on the mirror's nonreflective surface 12positions the reflective mirror surface 11 so that the infant 9 may beobserved via the vehicle's rear view mirror.

A large safety pin 40 is attached to the strap's free end 32. Thestrap's free end 32 is attached to the rear seat back rest 4 andprovides an anchor means for the mirror. The Velcro fastener means 27,28 and 37, 38 provide a quick and easy method of making adjustments forheight, angle, etc., while the safety pin provides a safe and secureanchor.

The present invention makes use of the optical axis that extends fromthe eyes of a driver looking into a rear view mirror of a motor vehicleinto which is reflected an image from the mirror 10 attached to the rearseat back rest 4. This enables the driver to easily monitor the activityof an infant 9 in a rearwardly facing safety seat 7.

After attachment to the rear seat back rest 4 by means of the safety pin40 the mirror's reflective surface 11 is further positioned to allow thedriver to observe the infant 9 in the car safety seat 7 by adjusting thelength of the strap 30 using the buckle 35. Once this is accomplished,the mirror 10 is further secured to the rear seat back rest 4 by theVelcro fastener means 27, 28 and 37, 38.

Thus it can be seen that the device described provides an inexpensive,easily installed and easily re-positioned device by which a driver of avehicle can monitor the activity of an infant in a safety seat thatfaces in the opposite direction from the line of sight of the driver.

While the above description contains many specifies, these should not beconstrued as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as anexemplification of one preferred embodiment thereof. Many othervariations are possible. For example, in situations where the vehicleseat backs are made of materials other than fabric, use of the safetypin may be undesirable. In these cases, a second Velcro fastenerprovides an appropriate mechanism for attaching the device to the rearseat of the vehicle.

It is understood that the above-described embodiment is merelyillustrative of the application. Other embodiments may be readilydevised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles ofthe invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

I claim:
 1. A device for observing an infant in a rear facing safetyseat located in the rear seat of a motor vehicle using the rear viewmirror of said vehicle comprising:a generally rectangular, planar shapedmirror made out of a rigid, light weight material, and having anon-glass reflective coating on one of its planar sides and anon-reflecting surface on the obverse side, said mirror being adapted tobeing attached to the rear back seat of said vehicle; a generallywedge-shaped holding element having a V-shaped cross-section centrallyattached to said mirror's non-reflective planar side along the mirror'shorizontal axis near to the mirror's bottom edge, said holding elementhaving two principle components meeting and joining at a sharply acuteangle each having uneven vertical lengths, each of said componentshaving two faces, one defined as interior, and the other exterior, saidexterior face of the vertically shorter of the two components beingattached to the non-reflective side of the mirror, and the verticallylonger of the two components extending freely upward away from themirror's non-reflective side; means for attaching said device to therear back seat of said vehicle; and means for adjusting the positioningof said device so that it reflects the image of the infant from said carsafety seat to said rear view mirror.
 2. A device according to claim 1,wherein:said vertically longer component having a horizontal slot formedin its approximate center.
 3. A device according to claim 2, wherein themeans for attaching said device tot he rear back seat comprises:a hookand pile fastener comprised of two sections, one section of which isfixedly attached to the exterior face of said vertically longercomponent, and said second section having an adhesive backing isattached to said rear back seat.
 4. A device according to claim 3,wherein the means for adjusting the positioning of said devicecomprises:a strap with two ends inserted through said slot, one end ofsaid strap being formed into a loop and attached to a central bar of aconventional three-bar buckle, and the other end of said being threadedthrough said buckle and extending vertically past said buckle.
 5. Adevice according to claim 4, wherein said strap further comprises:asafety pin attached to the other end of said strap, whereby said safetypin is attached to said rear back seat.
 6. A device according to claim5, wherein:the corners of the mirror are rounded.